Hi all

I just bought Fez but I'm unable to play :( It crashes at startup.
I get to the slot menu where I choose the first one and then select start new game. The starfield starts scrolling then the application just closes. I get no error dialog.

I have:
- Computer: HP Compaq nc8430, Intel Core 2 T7200, 4 GB Ram
- System: Windows 8 Pro, 64 Bit, fully patched.
- Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 (Windows 7 drivers, as there is no driver for Windows 8)

I tried so far:
- Run June 2010 DirectX installer as describes in the READ FIRST section
- Checked that the game runs as Administrator
- Tried to run in copatibility mode (Windows 7)
- Tried windowed and full screen mode
- Checked the Application Event Log but can't find any entry from Fez
- Restarted the machine (of course)
- Disabled virus protection (Windows Defender)

Nothing changed the behavior.

After some searching I found a logfile (Debug Log.txt) in the application's installation directory. There is one exception, but the file does not seem to be updated with newer crashes. I copied the content below.

Any ideas?

Any help is appreciated.

Luki

---
(13:35:30.946) [OpenAL] 32-bit OpenAL-Soft will be used
(13:35:31.120) [OpenAL] Available mono sources : 255
(13:35:32.592) [Version] INFORMATION : 1.0, Build Date : 30.04.2013 03:17
(13:35:32.888) [MonoGame] INFORMATION : OpenGL version 2.1.8304 Release
(13:35:32.894) [MonoGame] WARNING : GL_ARB_framebuffer_object not supported : will use GL_EXT_framebuffer_object instead.
(13:35:32.897) [MonoGame] WARNING : No S3TC/DXT support : will decompress DXT textures at load time.
(13:35:36.001) [Intro] INFORMATION : First draw done!
(13:35:39.087) [Intro] INFORMATION : Preloading complete.
(13:35:39.356) [Intro] INFORMATION : Changing Intro Screen to : Polytron
(13:35:41.083) [Intro] INFORMATION : Changing Intro Screen to : Trapdoor
(13:35:42.842) [Intro] INFORMATION : Changing Intro Screen to : TrixelEngine
(13:35:44.312) [Intro] INFORMATION : Changing Intro Screen to : SaveIndicator
(13:35:47.418) [Intro] INFORMATION : Changing Intro Screen to : Fez
(13:35:54.135) [Intro] INFORMATION : Changing Intro Screen to : Zoom
(13:35:58.168) [Intro] INFORMATION : Changing Intro Screen to : SignInChooseDevice
(13:35:58.208) [Intro] INFORMATION : Changing Intro Screen to : MainMenu
(13:36:03.140) [Intro] INFORMATION : Changing Intro Screen to : Warp
(13:36:05.650) [Intro] INFORMATION : All components are loaded.
(13:36:05.868) [Unhandled Exception] ERROR : System.InvalidOperationException: Unable to link effect program
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics.ShaderProgramCache.Link(Shader vertexShader, Shader pixelShader)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics.ShaderProgramCache.GetProgramInfo(Shader vertexShader, Shader pixelShader)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics.GraphicsDevice.ActivateShaderProgram()
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics.GraphicsDevice.ApplyState(Boolean applyShaders)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics.GraphicsDevice.DrawIndexedPrimitives(PrimitiveType primitiveType, Int32 baseVertex, Int32 minVertexIndex, Int32 numVertices, Int32 startIndex, Int32 primitiveCount)
at FezEngine.Structure.Geometry.ShaderInstancedIndexedPrimitives`2.Draw(BaseEffect effect)
at FezEngine.Structure.Group.Draw(BaseEffect effect)
at FezEngine.Services.LevelMaterializer.DrawTrileLights(Mesh m, BaseEffect effect)
at FezEngine.Structure.Mesh.Draw()
at FezEngine.Components.LightingPostProcess.PreDraw(GameTime gameTime)
at System.Action`1.Invoke(T obj)
at FezEngine.Services.TargetRenderingManager.OnPreDraw(GameTime gameTime)
at FezGame.Fez.Draw(GameTime gameTime)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game.DoDraw(GameTime gameTime)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game.Tick()
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.OpenTKGameWindow.OnUpdateFrame(Object sender, FrameEventArgs e)
at System.EventHandler`1.Invoke(Object sender, TEventArgs e)
at OpenTK.GameWindow.OnUpdateFrame(FrameEventArgs e)
at OpenTK.GameWindow.RaiseUpdateFrame(Stopwatch update_watch, Double& next_update, FrameEventArgs update_args)
at OpenTK.GameWindow.Run(Double updates_per_second, Double frames_per_second)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.OpenTKGamePlatform.RunLoop()
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game.Run(GameRunBehavior runBehavior)
at FezGame.Program.MainInternal()
at Common.Logger.Try(Action action)

The error in the logfile points to the graphic adapter. As you write that there's no Windows 8 drivers available, you have made sure that you are using the latest one available?

I’ve got idea. That game requires OpenGL 3.0 and your hardware supports only OpenGL 2.1. So it will not launch. [url=http://www.gog.com/gamecard/fez ]See game card.[/url] Renaud wrote that he’ll try to do something with that issue.

Try the new patch, the changelog seems to include a fix similar to your problem

Thanks for your answer 81RED. There is no newer version available. On the official ADM site I can't even choose my built in adapter and the automatic update application does not find any neither.

The driver might be the reason but I see no way to get another (newer) version. Hi jaron11. You're right. I missed this point but the card definitely doesn't meet the game's requirements :(

Too bad. The game has to wait until I get new hardware...

Thanks for this hint anyway!

Hello cracrayol. Thanks for mentioning it. I tried it but without success. As jaron11 wrote, the missing OpenGL 3.0 support is likely the culprit.

Same here. :(